Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-05-12
THE NORTHWEST
Back Up Honest Government.

Sunday night last Mr.. Henry George, in
addressing a labor meeting in New York,
said with force and truth, that the days of
political shams are numbered in this country,
and that the workingmen will throw the full
weight of their influence in faver of honest
politics only. The New York Herald says
amen to this, and declares "if workingmen
want reform, not of the pinchback kind-the
kind that political schemers howl about when
they want to get the 'ins' out and get them
selves in-but the genuine article, article Is
carats fine, they can have it by pulling alto
gether and pulling with all their strength" b"
But in what direction, as regards parties as
ut present constituted? The Herdld's ar
swer is plain and to the point, and we repro
duce it. 1t says to the workingmen:
You belong to the Democratic party pure
and simple, and minus any "sham." That
party is the party of the masses; therefore it
is your party. You will insist that your
rights as citizens and wage earners shall be
iealously guarded by wise and vigorous legis-
lation? Good. You will require the leaders
of that party to remove all unnecessary taxes
and burdens to get rid of a corrupting sur
plus in the treasury, to put an immediate
stop to the waste of the peoples money, and
10 give the poor man every possible benefit
of the situation? Good. You are right.
Under Republican regime monopoly was
rampant. See for yourself how it has grown
during the last 20 years. Great corporations
have received great privileges by which
few have become immensely rich at the ex-
pense of the people. That kind of Republi-
canism was sham and humbug. You ex-
pressed an opinion on the subject in 1884
when you said, "We have had enough of you
step down." Under the same regime your
land has been stolen by the million acres
you see that we are calling spade spade
and the farms-your farms-which your
children or your children's children will want
by and by, have been taken from you by
hocus pocus mixed with perjury waist deep.
You@ant to check monopoly and reclaim
this stolen land? 1t can be done and you
can help to do it. When Mr. Cleveland went
to the White House, at your bidding, he was
pledged to rip open these plots for aggran-
dizement. He has been opposed by interested
parties, by powerful cattle syndicates, by
railroad corporations with millions at COM
mand and shrewed lobbyists in the capitol to
Influence" legislation. But he is q good
fighter. Your party, the party of the Demo-
cracy, must stand by him. During the last
two years an area of territory more than
twice the extent of Ireland has been reclaim
cd, and the land grabbers have been told,
"You can't have it. Empty your pockets of
stolen property"
That's good beginning. Bus. the end is
not yet. There is little use in clearing out
one corner and leaving the other dirty. Your
votes, your encouragement, are besom
which you put in his hands. Give him an
other one, dozen if he needs them, and tell
him to sweep all the rubbishout of doors and
give us clean place to live in. ~
"The people are on top" says the Herald
in conclusion, sand they intend to stay there.
They can be trusted. They are the hearts as
well as the sinews of the country. They
form the bulk of the Democratic party, and
they have at hand the we'll devised Demo-
cratic machinery with which to make their
influence felt at every polling booth and in
every legislature in the land"